Flexible display and method for measuring angle of the same

ABSTRACT

There is provided a flexible display capable of improving an angle-measuring accuracy using different kinds of sensors and a method of measuring an angle thereof. The flexible display includes a first sensor unit disposed in a first region and including different kinds of sensors, a second sensor unit disposed in a second region adjacent to the first region and including different kinds of sensors, and an angle-measuring unit measuring a folding angle between the first region and the second region in response to sensing signals outputted from the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, andclaims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 120 from, and is aContinuation of an application for FLEXIBLE DISPLAY AND METHOD FORMEASURING ANGLE OF THE SAME, earlier filed in the United States Patentand Trademark Office on 7 Jun. 2013 and their duly assigned Ser. No.13/912,471, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C § 119 from anapplication earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office onJan. 22, 2013 and duly assigned Serial No. 10-2013-0007043.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a flexibledisplay and a method of measuring an angle thereof, and moreparticularly, to a flexible display having improved accuracy ofmeasuring an angle using different kinds of sensor and a method ofmeasuring an angle thereof.

Description of the Related Art

In recent information society, displays are emphasized as an importantdevice for delivering visual information. Low power consumption, a thinbody, a lightweight body, and high definition are recent trends for thedisplays.

A flexible display that is not damaged even in case of being folded androlled has been spotlighted as a newly developed technology in the fieldof displays. This display is implemented on a thin substrate such as aplastic and is not damaged even by folding or rolling. Nowadays, 1 mm orthinner organic light emitting devices or liquid crystal devices areemployed to implement the flexible displays.

In recent years, technologies of measuring an angle of the flexibledisplay, such as a folding angle or a bending angle and controlling theflexible display using the measured angle have been developed.

In the existing flexible display, a step motor or a single kind ofsensors are utilized to measure the folding angle or bending angle ofthe flexible display. However, the angle measured as described above maynot be accurate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to provide a flexibledisplay capable of improving angle-measuring accuracy using differentkinds of sensors and a method of measuring an angle thereof.

In order to achieve the foregoing and/or other aspects of the presentinvention, there is provided a flexible display including a first sensorunit disposed in a first region and including different kinds ofsensors, a second sensor unit disposed in a second region adjacent tothe first region and including different kinds of sensors, and anangle-measuring unit measuring a folding angle between the first regionand the second region in response to sensing signals outputted from thefirst sensor unit and the second sensor unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the angle-measuringunit may include a first angle estimator calculating a first anglebetween the first region and the second region in response to firstsensing signals outputted from a first kind of sensors included in thefirst sensor unit and the second sensor unit respectively, a secondangle estimator calculating a second angle between the first region andthe second region in response to second sensing signals outputted from asecond kind of sensors included in the first sensor unit and the secondsensor unit respectively, and an averaging unit outputting an averagevalue between the first angle and the second angle as the folding angle.

According to an embodiment, the different kinds of sensors may includeat least two kinds of sensor from a group of a gyroscope sensor, anacceleration sensor, and a terrestrial magnetism sensor.

According to an embodiment, the flexible display array farther include athird sensor unit disposed in a third region adjacent to the firstregion and including different kinds of sensors, and the angle-measuringsensor calculates an angle between the first region and the third regionin response to sensing signals outputted from the first sensor unit andthe third sensor unit.

According to an embodiment, when each of the first sensor unit and thesecond sensor unit includes at least three different kinds of sensors,the angle-measuring unit may measure the folding angle in response tosensing signals outputted from two of the at least three different kindsof sensors.

In order to achieve, the foregoing and/or other aspects of the presentinvention, there is provided a method of measuring an angle of aflexible display including calculating a first angle between a firstregion and a second region in response to first sensing signalsoutputted from a first kind of sensors which are disposed in the firstregion and the second region adjacent to the first region, calculating asecond angle between the first region and the second region in responseto second sensing signals outputted from a second kind of sensor whichare disposed in the first region and the second region, and outputtingan average value between the first angle and the second angle as afolding angle between the first region and the second region.

According, to an embodiment, the first kind of sensors may be any one ofa group of a gyroscope sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a terrestrialmagnetism sensor, while the second kind of sensors may be any anotherone of a group of a gyroscope sensor, an acceleration sensor, and aterrestrial magnetism sensor.

According, to the flexible display according to an embodiment of thepresent invention and the method of measuring an angle thereof,angle-measuring accuracy can be improved using different kinds ofsensors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, together with the specification, illustrateexemplary embodiments of the present invention, and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a flexible display constructed as anembodiment according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an angle measuring, unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a method of measuring an angle of aflexible display shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a flexible display constructed as anotherembodiment according to the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a method of measuring an angle of theflexible display shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, certain exemplary embodiments according to the presentinvention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.Here, when a first element, is described as being coupled to a secondelement, the first element may be not only directly coupled to thesecond element but may also be indirectly coupled to the second elementvia a third element. Further, some of the elements that are notessential to the complete understanding of the invention are omitted forclarity. Also, like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a flexible display constructed as anembodiment according to the principles of the present invention. FIG. 2is a view illustrating an angle measuring unit shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, an angle measuring unit 130 is arranged between a firstregion A1 and a second region A2 of a flexible display 100, but thepresent invention is not limited by this. For example, the anglemeasuring unit 130 may be arranged in the first region A1 or it secondregion A2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible display 100 includes a firstsensor unit 110-1, a second sensor unit 110-2, and the angel measuringunit 130.

The first sensor unit 110-1 is disposed in the first region A1 of theflexible display 100. The first sensor unit 110-1 includes differentkinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1.

FIG. 1 illustrates the first sensor unit 110-1 including two differentkinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1 for the illustrative purpose, but thepresent invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first sensorunit 110-1 may include three or more different kinds of sensors.

Each of different kinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1 may be a gyroscopesensor, an acceleration sensor, or a terrestrial magnetism sensor, butthe present invention not limited thereto.

For example, the first sensor 111-1 may be any one of a gyroscopesensor, an acceleration sensor, and a terrestrial magnetism sensor,while the second sensor 113-1 may be any another one of a gyroscopesensor, an acceleration sensor, and a terrestrial magnetism sensor.

Hereinafter, it is assumed that the first sensor 111-1 is a gyroscopesensor and the second sensor 113-1 is an acceleration sensor.

The first sensor 111-1 senses an azimuth angle of the first region A1,based on an angular acceleration of the first region A1, vertical slope,and horizontal slope and outputs a first sensing signal SS1-1corresponding to the sensed azimuth angle, vertical slope, andhorizontal slope to the angle measuring unit 130.

The second sensor 113-1 senses an azimuth angle of the first region A1,based on an acceleration of the first region A1, vertical slope, andhorizontal slope and outputs a second sensing signal SS2-1 correspondingto the sensed azimuth angle, vertical slope, and horizontal slope to theangle measuring unit 130.

The second sensor unit 110-2 is disposed in the second region A2 of theflexible display 100. The second sensor unit 110-2 includes differentkinds of sensors 111-2 and 113-2.

The different kinds of sensors 111-2 and 113-2 included in the secondsensor unit 110-2 and the different kinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1included in the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind of sensors. Forexample, the first sensor 111-2 of the second sensor unit 110-2 and thefirst sensor 111-1 of the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind ofsensors, while the second sensor 113-2 of the second sensor unit 110-2and the second sensor 113-1 of the first sensor unit 310-1 are same kindof sensors.

The first sensor 111-2 senses an azimuth angle of the second region A2,based on an angular acceleration of the second region A2, verticalslope, and horizontal slope and outputs a first sensing, signal SS1-2corresponding to the sensed azimuth angle, vertical slope, andhorizontal slope to the angle measuring unit 130.

The second sensor 113-2 senses an azimuth angle of the second region A2,based on an acceleration of the second region A2, vertical slope, andhorizontal slope and outputs a second sensing signal SS2-2 correspondingto the sensed azimuth angle, vertical slope, and horizontal slope to theangle measuring unit 130.

The angle-measuring unit 130 measures an angle θ between the firstregion A1 and the second region A2 such as a folding angle or a bendingangle, in response to the sensing signals SS1-1, SS2-1, SS1-2, and SS2-2which are outputted from the first sensor unit 110-1 and the secondsensor unit 110-2.

The angle-measuring unit 130 includes a first angle estimator 131, asecond angle estimator 133, and an averaging unit 135.

The first angle estimator 131 estimates a first angle θa in response tothe first sensing signals SS1-1 and SS1-2 from the first sensors 111-1and 111-2 and outputs the estimated first angle θa to the averaging unit135. Specifically, the first angle estimator 131 estimates an azimuthdifference, a vertical slope difference, a horizontal slope differencebetween the first region A1 and the second region A2 based on the firstsensing signals SS1-1 and SS1-2 and correspondingly outputs theestimated first angle θa based on the differences to the averaging unit135.

The second angle estimator 133 estimates a second angle θb in responseto the second sensing signals SS2-1 and SS2-2 from the second sensors113-1 and 113-2 and outputs the estimated second angle θb to theaveraging unit 135. Specifically, the second angle estimator 133estimates an azimuth difference, a vertical slope difference, ahorizontal slope difference between the first region A1 and the secondregion A2 based on the second sensing signals S52-1 and SS2-2 andcorrespondingly outputs the second angle θb based on the differences tothe averaging unit 135.

The averaging, unit 135 calculates an average value between the firstangle θa and the second angle θb and outputs the calculated averagevalue as an angle θ between the first region A1 and the second regionA2.

According to an embodiment, when the first sensor unit 110-1 and thesecond sensor unit 110-2 include three or more different kinds ofsensors, respectively, the angle-measuring unit 130 may measure andoutput an angle θ using only the sensing signals received from two ofthe three different kinds of sensors.

For example, when difference between the angles measured by thegyroscope sensors and the angle measured by the acceleration sensors orthe terrestrial magnetism sensors is too big, the averaging unit. 135determines that the angles measured by the gyroscope sensors are notaccurate, and may output an average value of the angles measured by theacceleration sensors and the terrestrial magnetism sensors as an angle θbetween the first region A1 and the second region A2 without includingthe sensing signals measured by the gyroscope sensors.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a method of measuring an angle of aflexible display shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3 when the flexible display 130 is folded or bent, theangle-measuring unit 130 measures an angle θ between the first region A1and the second region A2 in response to the sensing signals SS1-1,SS2-1, SS1-2, and SS2-2 outputted from the first sensor unit 110-1 andthe second sensor unit 110-2.

The angle-measuring unit 130 receives the first sensing signal SS1-1 andthe second sensing signal SS2-1, containing the information on theazimuth angles, the vertical slopes, and the horizontal slopes of thefirst region A1 respectively, from the first sensor unit 110-1 disposedin the first region A1. Moreover, the angle-measuring unit 130 receivesthe first sensing signal SS1-2 and the second sensing signal SS2-2containing information on the azimuth angles, the vertical slopes, andthe horizontal slopes of the second region A2 respectively, from thesecond sensor unit 110-2 disposed in the second region A2.

The angle-measuring unit 130 calculates a first angle θ1 based on thefirst sensing signals SS1-1 and SS1-2 and a second angle θ2 based on thesecond sensing signals SS2-1 and SS2-2, and outputs an average valuebetween the first angle θa and the second angle θb as an angle θ.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a flexible display according to anotherembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, a flexibledisplay 100 includes a first sensor unit 110-1, a second sensor unit110-2, a third sensor unit 110-3, and an angle-measuring unit 130.

Since the first sensor unit 110-1 and the second sensor unit 110-2 havethe same functions and operations as those of the first sensor unit110-1 and the second sensor unit 110-2, their descriptions will beomitted.

The third sensor unit 110-3 is disposed in a third region A3 of theflexible display 100. The third sensor unit 110-3 includes differentkinds of sensors 111-3 and 113-3.

The different kinds of sensors 111-3 and 113-3 included in the thirdsensor unit 110-3 and the different kinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1included in the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind of sensors. Thedifferent kinds of sensors 111-2 and 113-2 included in the second sensorunit 110-2 and the different kinds of sensors 111-1 and 113-1 includedin the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind of sensors. For example,the first sensor 111-3 of the third sensor unit 110-3 and the firstsensor 111-1 of the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind of sensors,while the second sensor 113-3 of the third sensor unit 110-3 and thesecond sensor 113-1 of the first sensor unit 110-1 are same kind ofsensors.

The angle-measuring unit 130 measures an angle θ1 between the firstregion A1 and the second region A2 in response to the sensing signalsSS1-1, SS2-1, SS1-2, and SS2-2 which are outputted from the first sensorunit 110-1 and the second sensor unit 110-2.

Moreover, the angle-measuring unit 130 measures an angle θ2 between thefirst region A1 and the third region A3 in response to the sensingsignals SS1-1, SS2-1, SS1-3, and SS2-3 which are outputted from thefirst sensor unit 110-1 and the third sensor unit 110-3.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating, a method of measuring an angle of theflexible display shown in FIG. 4.

When the flexible display 130 is folded or bent, the angle-measuringunit 130 measures an angle θ1 between the first region A1 and the secondregion A2 and an angle θ2 between the first region A1 and the thirdregion A3, in response to the sensing signals SS1-1, SS2-1, SS1-2,SS2-2, SS1-3, and SS2-3 outputted from the first sensor unit 110-1 andthe second sensor unit 110-2.

The angle-measuring unit 130 receives the first sensing signal SS1-1 andthe second sensing signal SS2-1, containing information on the azimuthangles, the vertical slopes, and the horizontal slopes of the firstregion A1 respectively, from the first sensor unit 110-1 disposed in areference region such as the first region A1.

The angle-measuring unit 130 receives the first sensing signal SS1-2 andthe second sensing signal SS2-2, containing information on the azimuthangles, the vertical slopes, and the horizontal slopes of the secondregion A2 respectively, from the second sensor unit 110-2 disposed in abending, region such as the second region A2.

The angle-measuring unit 130 receives the first sensing signal SS1-3 andthe second sensing signal SS2-3, containing information on the azimuthangles, the vertical slopes, and the horizontal slopes of the thirdregion A3 respectively, from the third sensor unit 110-3 disposed inanother bending region such as the third region A3.

The angle-measuring unit 130 calculates an angle θ1 between the firstregion A1 and the second region A2 based on the first sensing signalsSS1-1 and SS1-2 and the second sensing signal SS2-1 and SS2-2, and anangle θ2 between the first region A1 and the third region A3 based onthe first sensing signals SS1-1 and SS1-3 and the second sensing signalsSS2-1 and SS7-3.

The flexible display 100 according to the embodiments of the presentinvention can improve accuracy of measuring an angle by measuring thefolding angle or the bending angle of the flexible display usingdifferent kinds of sensors. For example, an angle measured with anacceleration sensor in the external environment where the accelerationsensor may not work accurate, for example the inside of a travelingvehicle is compensated by an angle measured with a gyroscope sensor, sothat the angle-measuring accuracy can be improved.

FIG. 1 shows the flexible display 100 including two sensor units 110-1and 110-2 and FIG. 4 shows the flexible display 100 including threesensor units 110-1, 110-2, and 110-3; however the present invention isnot limited thereto. That is, the flexible display 100 may include fouror more sensor units.

While the present invention has been described in connection withcertain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, isintended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangementsincluded within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, andequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flexible display, comprising: a plurality ofsensor units disposed in different regions of the flexible display andincluding at least one sensor; and an angle-measuring unit configured toreceive sensing signals outputted from the plurality of sensor units andmeasuring a folding angle between the different regions of the flexibledisplay in response to the sensing signals.
 2. The flexible display asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensor unitscomprises at least one of a gyroscope sensor, an acceleration sensor,and a terrestrial magnetism sensor.
 3. The flexible display as claimedin claim 1, wherein the angle-measuring unit measures the folding angleof the flexible display based on sensing signals outputted from a sensorunit disposed in a reference region of the flexible display and sensingsignals outputted from a sensor unit disposed in a bending region of theflexible display adjacent to the reference region.
 4. The flexibledisplay as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when each of the plurality ofsensor units includes at least two sensors, each of the plurality ofsensor units includes different sensors that are operationallyresponsive to dissimilar stimuli.
 5. The flexible display as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the different sensors comprise at least two sensorsselected from the group consisting of a gyroscope sensor, anacceleration sensor, and a terrestrial magnetism sensor.
 6. The flexibledisplay as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensor unitscomprise: a first sensor unit disposed in a first region of the flexibledisplay; and a second sensor unit disposed in a second region of theflexible display adjacent to the first region.
 7. The flexible displayas claimed in claim 6, wherein the angle-measuring unit comprises: afirst angle estimator determining a first angle between the first regionand the second region in response to first sensing signals outputtedfrom a first pair of sensors respectively included in the first sensorunit and the second sensor unit, the first pair of sensors operationallyresponsive to a first stimulus; a second angle estimator determining asecond angle between the first region and the second region in responseto second sensing signals outputted from a second pair of sensorsrespectively included in the first sensor unit and the second sensorunit, the second pair of sensors operationally responsive to a secondstimulus; and an averaging unit outputting an average value between thefirst angle and the second angle as the folding angle by averaging thefirst angle determined by the first angle estimator and the second angledetermined by the second angle estimator.
 8. The flexible display asclaimed in claim 7, wherein, when each of the first sensor unit and thesecond sensor unit includes at least three different sensors, theangle-measuring unit measures the folding angle in response to sensingsignals outputted from two of the at least three different sensors. 9.The flexible display as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality ofsensor units further comprise a third sensor unit disposed in a thirdregion adjacent to the first region and including different sensors thatare operationally responsive to dissimilar stimuli, and wherein theangle-measuring unit calculates an angle between the first region andthe second region in response to sensing signals outputted from thefirst sensor unit and the second sensor unit and an angle between thefirst region and the third region in response to sensing signalsoutputted from the first sensor unit and the third sensor unit.